Ofsted reported low to moderate well-being among teachers before the COVID-19 pandemic. This worsened post-pandemic due to staff shortages and low pay. We want to help teachers with their work-life balance, with just one single tool.
Teachers are essential to society. The work environment, workload, and pressures associated with the role have reduced well-being. Research has found that over 70% of teachers experienced work-related stress, increased anxiety, and sleep loss in 2021-2022. There are mental and physical health issues as well. The effects have spilled into teachers’ personal lives in negative ways, with increased use of alcohol, prescription drugs, and self-harm. All this in less than a year.
In the last year alone teachers experienced the following 87% had an increase in anxiety, 82% suffered loss of sleep, 28% increased alcohol use, 10% had a relationship breakdown, 7% increased prescription drug use, and 3% self-harmed.
Educational Support’s annual well-being index found that 78% of teachers experienced mental health symptoms. Some of the symptoms included forgetfulness, tearfulness, and dizziness. These findings are concerning, as they point to a need for teachers to receive adequate mental health resources.
Recommendation
Ten education unions identified long working hours as the biggest problem. So, the long working hours are the problem.
First things first, start with yourself. Try to extend the weekend by doing something you would have loved to do over the weekend on a Friday. This will make you feel as though you accomplished more and that the weekend was longer. If time allows, take 10-15 minutes to stretch and exercise to relieve tension and relax. When the workload gets too much, speak up and ask for help.
The above are not long-term solutions to the problems, as most teachers, including myself, have a packed schedule. The weekends do not exist, there are no free 10 minutes to stretch or exercise, and we often forget to eat. The main cause of the problem is the long working hours that spill into our personal time, which stresses teachers out. E-Spaces commits itself to help teachers. This is a tool created by a former teacher who was also having trouble managing long workdays. They noted that the long hours were due to lesson planning and assessment work when they got the ideas. E-spaces provide teachers with a tool to help manage their time and plan their lessons.
Imagine having help with assessment and lesson planning. The dream of personalizing students’ work would come true. Homework gets tailored to the learning objectives students failed to understand in class. The teacher receives an update on how students understand each goal. The next lesson is preplanned in advance, so teachers spend less time preparing. This would allow teachers to assign extra work according to students’ needs. How much time would you finally have to take care of yourself? How much anxiety about your schedule would be reduced? What impact would that have on your workload?
Consider using this app as the midterm break draws closer. Learn more here. If your school is willing to support you, sign up for the beta version. You might finally get the help you need to achieve your highest level of well-being. We care about the well-being of teachers!
